The Government has been strongly advised to make efforts in removing a dilapidated foreign cargo vessel currently in anchorage at the Colombo Port warning that if the vessel goes down it could trigger an environmental catastrophe larger than the X-Press Pearl caused more than two years ago.
At a meeting held with the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala De Silva maritime representatives expressed serious concerns on the Indian-flagged vessel-MV Sai Arambh that has been anchored at the Colombo Port since late 2019.
“The vessel is in a dilapidated condition and not seaworthy and therefore it has to be removed from its current location without further delay”, Director General Merchant Shipping Ajith Wijesinghe told the Sunday Observer.
He said the vessel was arrested shortly after it arrived at the Colombo Port after the all Indian crew complained on the non-payment of wages by the ship’s Mumbai-based owner.
The matter was later referred to the Commercial Court and a directive was issued to auction the vessel and raise sufficient funds to pay the crew’s wages and port dues.
The vessel was subsequently auctioned for US$ 830,000 but the bidder has so far failed to deposit the money within the stipulated three-month period and therefore the matter remains in limbo in court, Wijesinghe said.
“The vessel can be moved out only on a court directive and therefore, the relevant authorities should work towards this end.
In the event the vessel sinks it would cause a serious issue as it would obstruct the busy shipping lanes to and from the Colombo Port and shippers will be forced to dock in alternative foreign harbours thereby depriving the country of the much needed foreign exchange revenue.
Not only that, we also do not have the necessary funds to even carryout a salvage operation of a sunken wreck”, he said.
His fears were echoed by the Chairman of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Asela. B. Rekawa who pledged his fullest support in moving the vessel out from its present location.
“There will be a huge environmental issue if the vessel goes down on one hand but on the other the relevant authorities had apparently waited too long to sense the danger for reasons perhaps known only to them.
MEPA is ready to provide whatever assistance is needed to all the stakeholders since it is a national issue and the court will be advised to allow the auctioning of the vessel at the very earliest since this the only way out”, he said.
“This is a disaster waiting to happen at any moment and by that time it would be much too late”, warned Palitha Atukorale President of the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS).
He urged the authorities to act urgently in finding a solution to the issue at the very earliest.
At present only the captain and four other Seafarers remain on board the vessel down from the original 19-member crew who have already left the country while one had died after he fell off the ship’s gangway in March last year.